As used in this specification and in the appended claims, the term fine bore catheter tube means a catheter tube having an outside diameter of less than 2.0 mm and an internal bore of less than 1.5 mm. Similarly fine bore catheter means a catheter having a fine bore catheter tube.
Fine-bore silicone catheters allow long term phlebitis (inflammation) free infusion of intravenous nutrition into peripheral veins such as leg and arm veins. They also create less trauma to a patent's body tissue than a larger bore catheter and have a wider range of applications than a larger bore catheter. Such a fine-bore catheter can be as effective as a larger bore catheter centrally placed in a main vein in the torso or chest of a patient such as infraclavicular sub clavian or jugular vein. Placing a larger catheter in a main vein has inherent risks: in particular sepsis and thrombosis can occur. Dedicated specialised support teams are required to monitor patients subjected to central venous cannulation yet the risks persist. However, because of the problems associated with introducing fine bore catheters into peripheral veins, central venous cannulation, despite the potentially life threatening risks, remains the current method of choice for administration of intravenous nutrition.
The current method of placing catheters in peripheral veins requires taxing hand to eye coordination and uses risky "catheter through needle" techniques with which it is possible to cut the catheter tube on the needle being used to introduce the catheter in a peripheral vein and thus requires specially trained personnel. Hence central venous cannulation despite the potential life threatening risks remains the current method of choice for administration of intravenous nutrition.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved system for the insertion of very fine catheters into veins, particularly peripheral veins